Dec 23 2008
Future Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wants To Widen State Department
Makes perfect sense to me. Clinton plans to make the most of her powerful new role, even if it is not the presidency itself. Under President Bush, roles that could have gone to the State Department were sometimes left to the Treasury. Even some within the Pentagon have complained that the economic rebuilding of Afghanistan and Iraq has become a burden for the military. It seems that it is time for a restructuring, and a more powerful State Department does seem needed. This includes more envoys and other officials, as one person cannot handle the stress alone and still produce great results. This should go a long way in fixing some of the problems unsettled from the Bush Administration. There is only one point I am a little shaky on. One of the things Clinton wants is a bigger budget for her State Department. I know very well that all these needed changes will cost money, but I always like seeing the words “a redistribution of funds” somewhere near “bigger budget”. In this time of economic hardship, where will this bigger budget come from? If the State Department gains, who loses? Treasury? Military? Spend wisely.
